Machine for feeding candy.



No. 767,936. I PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING CANDY.

Arrmoulo'x FILED sun. 26. 1003.

no MODEL.

PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904. H. S. GORDON. MACHINE FOR FEEDING CANDY.

APPLICATION FILED HBPTJRB, 1903.

4 sums-sum 2.

l0 IODBLQ I w tnesses.

No. 767,936. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

H. s. GORDON. MACHINE FOR FEEDING CANDY.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1903..

' 1T0 MODEL.

N0. veaose UNITED ST TES Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE- MACHINE FOR FEEDING CANDY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,936, dated August 16, 1904.

I Application filed September 25, 1903. Serial No. 174,609. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HORACE 'S. GOR ONQa citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and use! ful Improvements in Machines for Feeding Candy; and 1 do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which forma part of this specification. This invention relates to new and useful improvements in candy-machines, and has specific reference to a machine for feeding the liquid candy intermittently to a series of candymolds.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine with a greatly-increased capacity for feeding candy to rubber candy-molds.

Preceding a detail description of-the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine with the middle portion broken away. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the other side of the machine. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine with the middle portion broken away. Fig. 4: is a top plan view of the front end of the machine with the hopper removed to disclose the pistons and adjunctive feeding mechanism. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional elevation of the front end of the machine. Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the front portion of the machine. Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of the mold-transfer mechanism. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the mold-transfer mechanism. Fig. 9 is a detail of intermittent-feed mechanism through which the molds are moved to positions to receive the candy. Fig.

13 is a plan view of one of the candy-molds.

Throughout the'specification similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

The various mechanisms are supported in a suitable frame 1. The candy is placed in a hopper 2, in which it is maintained in proper liquid consistency by means of a steam jacket or chamber 8, said chamber or jacket being inclosed on the inner side by copper Walls 9. The circulation of steam throughout said chamber-or jacket ismaintained by means of valve-controlled pipes 8. (See Fig. 6.) In the bottom of the hopper there is a valve-seat 5,

havingan opening 6, which extends approximately the length of the bottom of the hopper.

a designates a valve-bar adapted to seat upon the valve 5 and connected to two rods 21, which move in guides 21. The rods 21 are pivotally connected at their upper ends to lifting-levers 22.

22 designates a shaft to which the levers 22 are rigidly connected. The shaft 22 has at one end a crank-arm 22 which is pivoted to an upright lever 23, connected at its lower end to a lever 23, which carries a roll-stud 23 and is fulcrumed on the frame of the machine at 23 The roll-stud 23 engages a cam 30 and is maintained in constant contact with said cam. by the pressure of a spring 23. (See Fig. 1.) V

5 is a stationary plate upon which the hopperis placed and which has a series of candy feed-ports 6 which lie below the opening 6 in the valve-seat. The said plate 5 also has a series of cylindrical chambers .7, which receive a corresponding series of pistons 25, the said pistons moving into and out of the candy ports 6 The pistons 25 are all connected to a reciprocating slide-bar 25, the ends of which move in ways 25 in the side frames of the machine. The slide-bar 25 is'connected at both ends to adjustable rods 39, which in turn are connected to disks 37 by adjustable crank-pins 38, The disks 37 are fixed to cam 30on one side and a main spur-gear &0 on the other side of the machine. Therefore it will be seen that the pistons are all actuated simultaneously from the auxiliary drive-shaft 28 24: designates a slide or cut-off which has a reciprocating movement below the candyports 6 in the plate 5 (See Figs. 5 and 10.) This slide or cut-off is connected to two yokes 26, which are given reciprocating movements from earns 27 on shaft 28, said cams engaging with lugs or projections 27, which project laterally from opposite sides of the yokes in the paths of the cams. The said cams are set in opposite direction in order that one will engage its respective lug 27 to move the yokes and the cut-off 24 in one direction and the other cam will engage its respective lug 27 to move the yokes and the cut-off in an opposite direction.

33 is a shaft adjacent to the primary driveshaft 28 and supporting a series of grooved pulleys 16 for the upper system of conveyerropes 14, which will be again referred to. The shaft 83 also supports a ratchet-wheel 33 in a rigid manner and from which the said shaft receives an intermittent movement which is imparted through a four-leaf pawl 32, pivoted to oscillating arm 29, which is loosely mounted upon the hub of the ratchet-wheel 33.

31 is a coil-spring attached to the arm 29 and to a stationary part of the machine, as shown in Fig.1 Said spring exerts normal pressure to return the arm 29 and the pawl 32 to positions to engage the ratchet-wheel preparatory to each movement of said wheel. The arm 29 is thus actuated from a pendulum lever 85, which is connected at its lower end to the arm 29 by means ofa link lever 34 and an adjustable screw 29. The pendulum lever 35 carries a roll-stud 36, which lies in the path of the main feed-operating cam 30.

10 designates a series of initial conveyerbelts driven from pulleys 16 on shaft 33 and running around belt-pulleys 12 at the extreme front end of the machine. These belts convey the empty candy-molds to proper positions below the hopper and the candy-feeding mechanism and thence to the upper system of rope conveyers. At the point where said feed-belts receive the empty molds there is placed a metallic plate 11 below said belts, and which is supported on a suitable number of cross-bars 11, secured between the sides of the frame. The proper positions of the molds on the feedbelts are gaged by an angle-piece 47 K which is secured to one end of the supporting-plate 11. (See Fig. 6.)

14 designates the upper series of conveyerropes, driven from a series of grooved pulleys 16 on shaft 33. These upper conveyer-ropes are supported in a series of horizontal troughs 13, which are supported by a suitable number of cross-bars 15, the latter being secured at their ends to the inner sides of the frame. The rearward ends of the said rope conveyers 14 pass around groove-pulleys 16 and at that point deliver the filled candy-molds 47 to a transfer system of rope conveyers 14, which will be again referred to. This transfer system is illustrated clearly in Figs. 1 to 7 and S and consists of upper spike conveyers 42-3, which extend around the pulleys 16 on the rear shaft of the upper rope conveyers l4 and around pulleys 44. 45 is a transfer-plate that normally lies in a plane with the lower end of the said spike conveyers 43 and which receives the candy-molds 47 from said conveyers. Fig. 8 shows a candy-mold 47 passing onto the plate 45 from said upper spike conveyers 43. The dotted position of the plate 45 and the candy-mold 47 is the position in which the molds are delivered to the lower spike conveyers 43". The transfer-plate is rigidly secured to a shaft 46 and is returned to its up per position by a system of lovers consisting of lever 48, which is fulcrumed at 48 to the inner side of the frame and carries an adjustable weight 51. Lever 48 is connected to the shaft 46 by link levers 49 and 50, the latter lever being rigid on the shaft 46. The weight of the filled candy-mold 47 exceeds that of the weight 51. Therefore as each mold is delivered to the plate 45 the weight thereof causes the plate to drop to the dotted position. The transfer-plate 45 is held in the upper position until the candy-molds fairly enter said plate by means of two triggers 52, which are pivoted at 53 to the inner walls of the frame. These triggers 52 are notched at their frontsides to engage with the adjacent edges of the plate 45. Said triggers project through openings 54 in said plate, and the said openings are suliiciently large to permit of the arms being moved backward by the force of the candy-molds and to thereby become disengaged from the transfer-plate 45. The upper portions of said triggers are connected by a cross-bar 55, which lies above the plate and with which the candymolds come in contact and are straightened out on the plate in the event that said molds should enter the plate in an uneven manner.

56 is a stop secured to the frame to limit the return or upward movement of the plate 45.

The lower series of spike con veyers 43 pass over aseries of groove-pulleys 16 on the lower shaft, upon which the pulleys of the lower system of rope conveyers pass, and the said lower spike conveyers deliver the filled molds to the lower system of rope conveyers.

57 designates a wind blower which discharges cold air to the filled molds as they are passing through the transfer system.

The initial power is introduced to shaft 28 from the clutch-controlled pulley41 by operating the clutch-handle 42. From shaft 28 power is transmitted to the intermediate shaft 28 through gear 40, which meshes with a pinion (not shown) on shaft 28. From shaft 28 motion is transmitted to the yokes 26 through the cams 27 to advance the sliding cut-oil 24 below the ports 6 in the feed-plate 5. The valve 4 is raised from its seat 5 to admit the candy in semiliquid form at the completion of the cut-off movement of said slide 24. The

valve, it will be borne in mind, is actuated from the cam 30 on shaft 28 engaging with the roll-stud 23". Almost simultaneously with the elevation of said valve theflseries of pistons 25 recede from the ports 6 and thus create a partial vacuum in said ports, into which the candy gravitates. The system of pistons is actuated through the adjustable connectingrods 39, which, as before stated, are connected to the shaft 28 through crank-disks 37 and crank-pins 38. When the ports 6 and portions of the pistonvcylinders become filled with candy, the valve 4 seats, the slide or cut: off 24 recedes, and the pistons 25 move in the direction of the ports 6 and force the candy into the recesses in the molds 47. (See-Fig. 13.) The molds are fed in proper positions to bring the cavities therein in succession below the ports 6*, as before intimated. The transfer system at the end of the machine and illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 necessarily causes a separation'of the molds, or, in other words, it breaks the continuity of their travel from the upper system of rope conveyers 14 to the lower system of rope conveyers 14. Hence itbecomes necessary to give the spiked conveyers 43 43 accelerated movement in order that the filled molds may be delivered to the lower system of rope conveyers in a manner that will utilize all the space on said rope conveyers in a manner similar-to the posi-' tions occupied by the molds on the upper system of rope conveyers. This change speed is obtained through gears 43" and 43, the latter of which is driven from the shaft that carries the pulleys 44 of the upper series of spike conveyers 43, and gear 43 is on shaft 44, which carries the pulleys 44 of the lower system of spike conveyers 43. The proper speed is given shaft 44 through a reduced sprocket-wheel thereon (shown in Fig. 1) and which is driven from a large sprocket-wheel 44 by a chain connection 44. The sprocketwheel- 44 is driven from the rear shaft, wh'ich supports the pulleys of the lower system of rope conveyers and which is driven from the forward grooved pulleys 16 on shaft 17 Shaft 17 carries a large sprocket-wheel 18, which is moved by a chain 17 from shaft 17. The last-named shaft carries .a spocket-wheel 18, driven from chain 19 and sprocket-wheel 19* on shaft 28*. The upper and lower systems of rope conveyers 14 are maintained sufliciently taut by suitable pulleys 58 and weights 59, and, as hereinbefore stated, the two systems of rope conveyers are held in a horizontal position under the weight of the molds by means of the supports 13 and 15. The filled molds are returned by the lower system of rope conveyers to the front end of the machine, or that end at which the empty molds are fed to the conveyer-belts'lO. During the passage of the molds from the upper to the lower systems of conveyerropes they are sub-. jected to constant discharges of cold air from the blower 57 Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a machine for feeding candy, a steamjacketed hopper, a valve extending throughout the length of said hopper, means for imparting movement to said valve to permit an intermittent feed of candy, a feed-plate having a series of ports which receive the candy from the valve, and a series of cylindrical chambers which communicate with said ports, and a series of pistons in said cylinder-chambers, and means for actuating said pistons.

2. In a machine for feeding candy, a hopper to contain the candy, a valve in the bottom of said hopper and extending throughout the length thereof, means for imparting intermittent movement to said valve to permit the desired feed of the candy, a feed-plate having a series of ports which register with the valve, and a series of cylindrical chambers which register with'the ports, a series of pistons in said chambers, and a sliding cut-off movable below the ports in the feed-plate.

3. In a machine for feeding candy to molds, a hopper having a steam-jacket, a valve in the bottom of said hopper and extending the length thereof, means for imparting intermittent movement to said valve to feed the candy at predetermined times, a feed-plate below the hopper, said feed-plate having a series of ports therein which register with the valve, and receive the candy from said valve, and a series of cylindrical chambers which communicate with the ports, a series of pistons in said chambers movable in the direction of the ports after the valve closes, a sliding cut-off below said ports and movable to close said ports preparatory to the opening of the valve.

4. In a machine for feeding candy, the combination with intermittent candy feeding mechanisms, a series of empty mold-conveyers to convey the molds to said feeding mechanisms, a series of upper conveyers to receive the molds after they are filled with candy, a series of lower'conveyers, a transferplate to transfer the molds from the upper to the lower conveyers, triggers engaging said plate to hold it ina position to receive the molds from the upper conveyers, and means for returning said plate from its delivering to its receiving position.

5. In a machine for feeding candy, upper and lower conveyers, transfer means interposed between said upper and lower conveyers, said transfer means consisting of a plate, a system of weighted levers to return said plate from a delivering position to a receiving, position, and triggers to hold said plate in its receiving position until the molds enter it from the upper conveyers.

, 6. In a machine for feeding candy to molds,

the combination with intermittently-movable IIO feed mechanisms to discharge the candy to air onto the molds during their travel from the .molds in individual quantities, of interthe upper'to the lower conveyers. 1O mittently movable conveyers to take the In testimony whereoflafiix my signature in empty molds to said feed mechanisms, upper presence of two witnesses.

5 and lower conveyers to take the filled molds HORACE S. GORDON. from said feed mechanisms, transfer devices Witnesses: to deliver the molds from the upper to the R. J. MOCARTY,

lower conveyers, and means for discharging E. J. FINKE. 

